The Karbe’s fleece kept its embers even after it fell from the body.
Yangsooni’s friends, who filled the cave, all bleated together and shivered. Then little self-heating tufts of cotton fluffed down.
Kallen and I eagerly gathered the precious fabric. When we pressed it to the inside of our clothes, Rami popped out and kneaded it firmly into place.
It wasn’t even comparable to the clumsy winter clothes we’d padded with scraps. A just-right, toasty warmth wrapped my whole body.
We took the chance to make clothes for Ella too. The glossy white Elfera wore a black fleece vest.
Reuniting with Yangsooni warmed and fortified my heart as well. The Karbes saw us off as we set out with their friends.
“Yangsooni, thank you, truly. Be healthy and happy.”
“Baa-aaah.”
When I pressed a kiss to her short-wooled forehead, the embers in the black fleece whooshed up.
Yangdori beside her glared at me and stomped a forehoof. Newlyweds are dramatic.
I gave a last wave to the Karbe herd. Even among sheep with the same black curls, Yangsooni stood out with striking looks.
“Baa-aa-aaah.”
I fixed the image of Yangsooni crying happily amid her stalwart husband and her friends. The smile wouldn’t leave my mouth.
Leather shoes stuffed with Karbe down were even comfortable to wear. Maybe because the shoes felt good, my steps felt light.
“I was worried, but this sits well with me. At the facility she always seemed lonely no matter how well I cared for her.”
It had been beautiful to watch her regain health and shine her horn after meeting me, but every time I saw her penned alone my chest tightened.
Sending her back to nature had been the right call.
Varen glanced between me and Yangsooni and lifted a shoulder.
“I don’t understand. If you cared for her, she wouldn’t have been lonely.”
“No matter how well I do, monster friends are better.”
“Hm. How is one lonely with you there.”
Varen actually set his face, as if he truly didn’t get it. He put his hand to his chin and thought it over.
Varen had been alone since he was born and met me as his first friend. Yangsooni, by contrast, had lived free among friends and been captured.
It made sense he couldn’t understand why she’d be happy meeting her friends again.
“Anyway, I’m human. Monsters living with their own is probably happier, no?”
“Not everyone is like that!”
Kallen jumped into the talk with Varen.
“Karbe are monsters that live in herds. Being with friends will make them happy. But there are monsters that don’t live in groups.”
She spoke fast, like excusing herself. Then she stroked Ella’s neck.
“Elfera live independently after they become adults. So...”
“Right, right. I get it. You don’t want to let Ella go, do you?”
Caught out, Kallen’s face flushed the same color as her hair.
Ella whickered as if to reassure her and bumped her forehead against Kallen’s. The tender friendship made me laugh.
“Nobody said anything. Why bring that up suddenly.”
“The forest is ending now. For monsters, the forest must be the easier place to live.”
Unless it was a special life-form like a dragon, this vast forest was the best environment for monsters.
The way the climate changed north, south, east, and west only wore on humans. Seen the other way, it meant habitat for a wide diversity of species.
Come to think of it, my pocket had been busy for a while.
“Hyuung, hyuung!”
Rami was diligently packing a lunch. She used to be picky, bringing only the tastiest things with care, but now she grabbed whatever she could catch.
“Rami, what’s wrong? Hungry?”
“Hyuung! Hyuung!”
Too busy, she barely answered. She peeked her face out for a second, then went right back to hunting.
As usual, Varen interpreted the small reptile’s speech for us.
“She says when we leave the forest, food will be hard to find, so she’s preparing ahead.”
A throb went through the left side of my chest.
My and Varen’s destination was the dragon’s habitat. Rugged mountains there, with barren ground where grass or trees didn’t grow.
Of course, if you combed every crevice you might find bugs, but Rami would struggle to find the worms and fruit she loved.
What Kallen had said a moment ago rang in my ears. The forest being the best place for monsters applied to Rami too.
My steps slowed as they grew suddenly heavy. Every time my pocket bulged and flattened, my heart seemed to drop.
The Eterna Nest was right ahead now. We’d arrive after tonight and one more day’s walk.
Tomorrow we’d finally be free of the damned forest, and I was elated—but for Rami it meant leaving a good environment for a harsh place.
Then—hiyung, kkiyung, phiyung. Similar yet distinct, individual cries sounded.
Dozens of Noaks appeared from somewhere.
“Come to think of it, we’re near the Lydia Abandoned Mine, aren’t we?”
“...Lydia Abandoned Mine?”
“Yes. A main habitat for Noaks. Rami was likely taken from there.”
Kallen’s added explanation made my heart heavier.
If it was the Lydia Abandoned Mine, it was among the caves with the deepest shadows. A place where a Noak could live with plenty of mana.
I picked out familiar faces among the gathered Noaks. They were the Noak patrol friends who’d gotten strawberries from me.
On the day Varen burned the facility, they’d scattered in terror, but they had gathered now to see Rami off.
“Hyuung! Hyuung, hyuung!”
“Kkiyung? Kkiyung!”
“Phiyung, phiyung!”
Rami’s long, thin tail wagged busily, happy to see friends after so long.
When I thought back, Rami hadn’t cried when we first met. She’d found her «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» tongue while making friends in the forest.
Watching Rami chatter without end, I steeled my heart.
A drama I’d watched before floated up. I’d cursed the male lead’s final choice and turned the TV off, but now I could understand that emotional line.
“Because I love you... I should let you go...”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
Kallen answered my mutter to myself.
Sniffling on the sly, I prepared to part with Rami.
She’s sensitive to cold, so I stuffed in lots of Karbe fleece. I even emptied the stash of dried plums and raisins.
It was a last gift for my number-one baby. I packed the pocket full until there was no room to set a foot.
After chattering a long time with her friends, whenever she drifted too far from me, Rami hurried back into my inner pocket.
“Hyuung, hiyuung!”
When I saw those obsidian eyes peeking from between my lapels, I remembered the first time I met Rami.
The moment our eyes met, she stole my heart whole. You lovable little demon.
“Rami, come here.”
“Hyuung!”
I put Rami on my hand and stroked her with my index finger. Eyes lowered, she savored my touch and waved her long tail.
If I opened my mouth, I would cry. I cleared my throat and forced the sob back.
“Ahem. Rami. Where I’m going is hard for you to live. Go back to your home.”
“Hyuung?”
Rami cocked her head, not understanding.
Too cute. This makes it harder to part.
I looked around and hung the pocket on the sturdiest, thickest tree.
“This tree is good. Stay here, Rami.”
“Hiyuung?”
“With your friends... hunt all you want. Those... kh, crickets you like... catch lots... and eat...”
I bit my lower lip and set Rami up on the tree.
Matched to the bark she’d climbed onto, Rami tinted her body a deep brown, but still didn’t understand me. She kept tilting her head.
Rami’s friends had gathered before I knew it. They sniffed the pocket that wafted a delicious smell.
“Hyuung! Hyuung!”
Rami protested fiercely at the friends interested in the pocket. She thwacked her tail—claiming ownership, mine.
At the crisp, decisive look, tears almost sprang.
“Right... live just like that... stoutly. All right?”
“...Hiyuung.”
“Be... be happy, Rami... thank you.”
I didn’t want to decorate the end with a crying face. I chewed the flesh inside my cheek and barely managed a smile.
I forced my feet to turn. I moved fast so Rami couldn’t follow, but the shadow lizard popped into my inner pocket with a poof.
“Kh—no, Rami... go back... the Belzena Mountain Range, kh... isn’t a place... you can live...”
“Hiyuung, hyuung, hyuung!”
“You live in the forest... hic, in the Lydia Abandoned Mine... Daddy is going.”
I said something harsh because I knew we couldn’t part otherwise.
Even when I set her away, she kept slipping back into my inner pocket, so I stripped off the clothes I was wearing and threw them aside.
Now there was truly no way to chase after me. I hardened my heart that this was the road for Rami.
“Snf—let’s go...”
I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand and walked ahead. Maybe because I’d taken off the Karbe vest, the hollowness in my chest felt bitterly cold.
“Hyuung! Hiyuung! Hyuung, hyuung!!”
With no pocket to ride the shadows into, Rami bounded after me in hops. I swore not to look back—but—
“‘Where are you going, Dad,’ she says.”
“Kh... hic...”
“‘Take me with you,’ she says.”
The interpreter’s one line broke me. My legs gave out and my knees buckled.
In the end I spun around, clapping a hand over my mouth, and ran back. Rami, sprinting up the tree with all her might, launched herself at me.
“Rami! Daddy’s sorry! Ugh...”
“Hyuung, hyuung! Hiyuung!!”
“My Rami, Daddy loves you so much. Khh...”
“Hiyuuuuung!”
As if never to part again, Rami slapped herself to my face. Hot tears soaked the lizard’s damp belly.
“...Why is he doing that, do you think?”
“I don’t know either.”
Varen and Kallen, whispering a talk only they knew, walked past me as I cried.
